The Bears celebrated at Soldier Field with the George S.
Halas NFC Championship trophy for the first time since 1985.

Respect. In 2006, according to the organization if the media
questioned the Chicago Bears, it was due to a lack of respect. Rex Grossman
finished a game with a quarterback rating of 0.0? No respect. The defense
staggered to the end of the regular season for the second year in a row? No
problems there, just no respect.

The Chicago Bears accomplished more in the 2006 season then
they had in the previous 20 seasons, winning back-to-back division titles for
the first time since 1988, hosting a conference championship game for the first
time since that year and won that elusive crown. In their first Super Bowl
since 1985, the disrespected underdogs were in a perfect position thanks to a
rookie phenom and a castoff defensive back. But after two possessions on the
world's greatest stage, the young Bears team couldn't totally silence their
critics.

The seeds of this 2006 disrespect may have been planted five
months prior to the season opener in Green Bay. The 2005 team's Achilles' heel
was unquestionably an offense that couldn't score a small amount of points to
keep up with their brilliant defense, that had set an NFL record for fewest
points allowed in eight games at home. Despite glaring needs on that side of
the ball, General Manager Jerry Angelo traded out of the first round and used
all but one draft pick on defense-not selecting an offensive player until
tabbing a guard in the sixth round. Critics were merciless, but Angelo would
ultimately be vindicated.

In the beginning of the free agent signing period, Angelo did
make a move that was long overdue. While resisting overpriced players Antwaan
Randle-El and Adam Archuleta, both of whom signed ludicrous contracts with
Washington, the GM signed Chicago's first legitimate backup quarterback in
almost a decade in Brian Griese. The eight-year veteran of three teams was
inked to a five-year deal, positioning him to back up the oft-injured Grossman
and take over the reigns should the starter falter.

Players reported to training camp in Bourbonnais, IL in late
July with many of the same questions dogging them as had throughout the Angelo
era. Why the lack of attention to offense in the draft? (Angelo insisted he had
a "redshirt" rookie class from 2005 that would step up as the de facto 2006
offensive draft class). Would Thomas Jones be traded, giving highly paid
sophomore Cedric Benson a chance to take over the reigns at running back?
(Trade rumors swirled, but Jones was not dealt). How would the eccentric Benson
acclimate with his teammates?

Hints of the answer to the final question came to the
forefront early in camp. Jones and linebacker Lance Briggs, both clients of
controversial agent Drew Rosenhaus, had held out of all offseason activities in
protest of playing under their existing contracts. In retaliation, Head Coach
Lovie Smith (coaching under his own outdated contract) dropped the Rosenhaus
duo on the depth chart. During a night drill in camp Benson, the default
starter, caught a short pass in a light contract drill and was sandwiched by
defenders Brian Urlacher and Mike Brown. The hit was not as hard as initially
reported by the media, but it did dislocate Benson's shoulder. Was Benson being
punished for still not acclimating with his teammates? The Benson injury,
coupled with a strained hamstring Jones suffered from, limited both runners’
work throughout the preseason.

During the preseason more questions emerged. Grossman,
entering what all hoped to be his first healthy season as a Bear, struggled
mightily in the first three games. Operating with at best his third running
back in games for which the Bears didn't game plan but their opponents did,
Grossman looked terrible. By the time backup Brian Griese entered the game
against the opponent's second team, to fans and the media it was clear that the
journeyman should be leading the offense, not the questionable former
first-round pick. Foreshadowing the remainder of the year, Smith steadfastly
defended his starter, Rex Grossman.

Chicago opened the regular season and silenced many critics
with a 26-0 pasting of the archrival Packers, only its fourth win in Green Bay
in 14 years, but Smith's third straight there. Most notable during the game
were a 49-yard touchdown completion from Grossman to wideout Bernard Berrian,
another oft-injured offensive star, and the play of the team's stalwart
defense, which looked better than the previous season's edition. And rookie
kick returner Devin Hester sealed the game with an 84-yard punt return for a
touchdown in his first game as a pro.

The Bears opened their home schedule the following week with a 34-7
pasting of the Detroit Lions, despite a guarantee of a Lion victory by the
visitor's brash receiver Roy Williams. Harris again sparked his team to a
victory with a strip of Detroit quarterback Jon Kitna on the opening series of
the game.

In week three, Chicago traveled to Minnesota to face the
Vikings. As had happened early in the 2005 season, Smith made a change in the
defensive backfield, installing rookie Danieal Manning at free safety to
supplant Chris Harris, who had replaced Mike Green early in the '05 season.
Harris took his demotion positively, correctly guessing that in the long season
many things change. In the Metrodome Grossman struggled a bit, tossing an
interception returned for a touchdown by the Vikes that kept the home team in
the game. The signal caller redeemed himself late in the fourth quarter,
delivering a laser strike to slot receiver Rashied Davis for the game's winning
score. The score would not have happened were it not for a disruptive play by
defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who knifed into the backfield and caused a
fumble recovered by Adawale Ogunelye. The recovery led directly to the winning
score, which would be the first of several clutch, game-winning receptions on
the season by Davis.

The Detroit and Minnesota wins put Chicago in the driver's
seat in the division, with three straight wins against their rivals in
September. But their statement game was square ahead of them.

On October 1st, the defending NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks
came to Chicago, in just the type of game Chicago had difficulty winning since
the 1980's. The Bears responded by thrashing Seattle on national television,
winning 37-6 and completely demoralizing the visitors. Harris earned his second
straight NFC Defensive Player of the Week honor, and Grossman looked to be
flaming his critics with a 232 yard, two touchdown performance.

The utter destruction of opponents continued the following
week, as former Bear coach Dick Jauron delivered his Buffalo Bills on a platter
for a 40-7 roasting. The Bears led 40-0 with just minutes left in the game, but
a Benson fumble positioned the Bills to score a garbage touchdown at the end.
Chicago defenders put it on themselves and declared they wouldn't let such a
breakdown occur again.

With one game left before the bye week, the Bears were 5-0,
with a stifling defense, the NFC's highest scoring offense, and were piloted by
the NFL's hottest quarterback. Certainly an undefeated season was within reach.

On October 16th, Chicago traveled to the desert for its first
Monday Night Football appearance in three seasons. Their hosts, the Arizona
Cardinals, would be starting rookie quarterback Matt Leinart for the first
time, and national pregame shows focused on the juggernaut Bears and the sure
impending pummeling of the neophyte.

Then the game started. Leinart led his team on successive long
touchdowns, and his Cardinals embarrassed the visiting beasts. At halftime, the
score was 20-0 Arizona and Grossman's performance was abysmal. And
worse, it didn't get better in the second half, as "Bad Rex" finished the game
throwing four interceptions with a quarterback rating of 10.2. However,
Brian Urlacher, the defense, and the rookie phenom picked the offense up and
carried it on their collective shoulders. First, Leinart was drilled by another
Bear rookie phenom, fifth-round defensive end Mark Anderson, fumbled, and the
fumble was walked into the end zone by safety Mike Brown. Later, Urlacher
yanked the ball free from Cardinal running back Edgerrin James, and the fumble
was returned for another score by cornerback Charles "Peanut" Tillman. Finally,
late in the game Hester broke free on an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown.
Undoubtedly thousands of Bear fans left the game that night, only to wake up
and again realize that one should never quit on a Bears game early. Chicago
turned a one-time 23-3 deficit into a 24-23 miracle victory.

The miracle victory at Arizona further bolstered the legend of
the 2006 Bears. Despite Grossman's terrible performance in the desert, insane
fans predicted it was a one-time aberration, and equally predicted an
undefeated Bears finish. For one more week, following the team's bye, it looked
as if the team may prove those predictions true. Chicago rolled up 41 points in
the first half against San Francisco, tying a team record, and won 41-10.
Grossman silenced his critics as well, bouncing back with a strong performance
(137.4 rating, three touchdowns).

The following week, misguided fans that had predicted the sure
undefeated season saw their hopes blow up in their faces, as Grossman had his
second terrible outing of the season, throwing three interceptions and
finishing with a 36.8 quarterback rating. The Bears lost 31-13 to a Miami
Dolphin team roundly called the worst team in football at that point in the
year.

The Miami loss came on the eve of the season's most difficult
stretch: a three-game road trip to New York and New England. Chicago's
quarterback started shakily in the first game at the New York Giants, but
rebounded to lead the Bears to a 38-20 win against a suddenly reeling Giant
team. The Giant win was reprised the following week with another win in the
same stadium against the Jets. Then on November 26th, the 9-1 Bears traveled to
New England for a matchup with the 7-3 Patriots. In a tough game the Bears
kept it close, but on their final offensive play, Grossman underthrew a
streaking Davis for an interception, ending the game with a 17-13 loss.

The Bears won their next four games of the regular season. The
first, at home against Minnesota in negative-windchill weather, ended with a
23-13 Bears win. However, "Bad Rex" again emerged as he finished with a 1.3
rating and three interceptions. Also, All-Pro defensive tackle Tommie Harris
was lost for the season with a torn hamstring. Harris' injury coupled with that
of Mike Brown, who was lost for the year in the Arizona game, created a
noticeable difference in Chicago's once #1 ranked defensive unit.

Again, as he did all year, Grossman bounced back with a solid
performance the following week at St. Louis, and Devin Hester tied and broke an
NFL record with his fifth and six kick return touchdowns on the season.

Against NFC doormats Tampa and Detroit in the following two
weeks, the Bears were on the ropes late but pulled out wins. And in the season
finale on New Year's Eve, moved to a night game at the behest of the NFL, the
Bears were obliterated by Green Bay, who had nothing to play for. Grossman and
teammates admitted to not treating the game as seriously as they should have
given the circumstances, but questions lingered if another playoff collapse was
imminent.

Due to a botched chip-shot field goal by Dallas, Chicago drew
the Seattle Seahawks to come to Soldier Field in the divisional round of the
playoffs. Unlike the previous "statement" annihilation of the Seahawks by the
Bears, this time Seattle kept the game close. It took a game-winning Robbie
Gould field goal in overtime to put the visitors away and vault the Bears to
their first NFC Championship game since 1988.

Entering the championship game, the Bears were favored by as
little as two points, despite New Orleans pulling out a squeaker in the
divisional round against the Eagles. Given the old adage that the home time is
given three points, the odds makers basically favored the Saints. And the
national media, in love with the darlings from hurricane-ravaged New Orleans,
completely wrote the Bears off. Indeed, all seven "expert" prognosticators from
ESPN chose the Saints to win.

The Bears jumped out to a 16-0 lead until shortly before
halftime, when New Orleans scored a touchdown. Momentum swung the Saints' way
in the third on a Reggie Bush 87-yard touchdown reception, at the end of which
he leapt into the endzone and taunted a trailing Brian Urlacher. At about this
time, the snow began to fall as it did in Chicago's previous NFC Championship
win. Punter Brad Maynard pinned the Saints inside their five-yard line, and the
Bear defense forced Saint quarterback Drew Brees into a safety. The Bears then
scored 20 unanswered points, and Bears matriarch Virginia McCaskey received the
George Halas trophy at midfield.

Doubted by everyone, to a man claiming to be respected by no
one, the Chicago Bears won their fourth conference championship and the first
in 21 years. But in the locker room following the victory, Head Coach Lovie
Smith reminded his team that his final goal-a World Championship-was still
unattained.

The Bears left freezing Chicago in late January to trek to
Miami and face the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl 41. With Smith and good
friend Tony Dungy, the game would be the first matchup of African American head
coaches in NFL history. Rex Grossman, the Bears, and their coach faced unending
questions about which quarterback would show up in the game: the Bears' best
passer in eleven years (Good Rex, seven games), one of their worst in history
(Bad Rex, five games) or "somewhere in-between" (four games). Grossman tired of
answering the questions, and Smith steadfastly stood behind his starter.

On the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl, the one and only
Devin Hester scored a touchdown on a 92-yard return. On Indianapolis' first
possession, the Chicago defense rushed and stifled legendary Colt quarterback
Peyton Manning, forcing an interception grabbed by the once-forgotten safety
Chris Harris (now starting opposite rookie Danieal Manning). Then things
changed. Grossman fumbled snaps from center, stumbled for losses, and the Bear
defense gave up the short play in order to prevent the big play. Peyton Manning
and his teammates marched down the field methodically and the Chicago offense
couldn't answer through the air, despite a solid 112 yard rushing performance
by Thomas Jones.

In the end, the Bears lost their return trip to the Super Bowl
29-17, and vowed to return in 2008 to earn that last bit of respect.

Quote of the Year: "Rex Grossman is our starting
quarterback. This football team has won (x) number of games with Rex and we're
not making a change." -Lovie Smith, using the same explanation
multiple times as to why he would not give Brian Griese a try at the position
after four distinct abysmal performances by his starter. Seemed much like Dick
Jauron's explanation for keeping John Shoop as offensive coordinator from
2001-2003.

Passing: Rex Grossman- Possibly no quarterback
in NFL history had a more strange season. Grossman turned in the best (23
touchdowns and 3,193 yards) and the worst (20 interceptions, multiple games
below 10.0 quarterback rating) season in Bears history.

Rushing: Thomas Jones- Despite sharing more and
more carries with Cedric Benson late in the season, Jones followed up his
strong 2005 with a 1,210 yard rushing performance, with 6 touchdowns and a 4.1
yard average, which is phenomenal.

Receiving: Muhsin Muhammad- Though he still has
not equalled the numbers he put up in Carolina to earn his $30 million contract
from Chicago, Muhammad led the Bears for the second year with 60 catches for
843 yards and 5 td's.

Scoring: Robbie Gould- Gould earned All
Pro honors as the best kicker in the league in 2006. He finished the
season kicking 32 of 36 attempts, and did not miss a try until the season's
eleventh week.

Sacks: Mark Anderson- It was questioned
whether the fifth-round pick would make the team after missing most of the
preseason with a leg injury. The phenom led the Bears with 12 sacks, the
most by a Bear player since 1993 (Richard Dent). He also finished second
in Rookie of the Year.

Interceptions: Charles Tillman and Ricky Manning Jr.-
Each player had five interceptions, and both had perhaps their greatest season
as professionals.

2006 Chicago Bears Normal Starters

QB

RB

RB

WR

WR

LT

LG

C

RG

RT

TE

K

DE

DT

DT

DE

LB

MLB

LB

CB

SS

FS

CB

P

On offense, Rex Grossman became the first Bear quarterback to
start 16 games since Erik Kramer in 1995. It was only the third time in
25 years this was accomplished. Jason McKie took over for the oft-injured
Bryan Johnson at fullback and lended steady play. Wide Receiver Bernard
Berrian earned the starting spot opposite Moose Muhammad and shone
with several spectacular long catches. On defense, much the same
unit returned from 2005 to 2006, with the only long-term changes being due to
Tommie Harris and Mike Brown's injuries. Left to Right: Offense
Rex Grossman, Thomas Jones, Jason McKie, Muhsin Muhammad, Bernard Berrian, John
Tait, Ruben Brown, Olin Kreutz, Roberto Garza, Fred Miller, Desmond Clark,
Robbie Gould. Defense Alex Brown, Tommie Harris, Tank
Johnson, Adewale Ogunelye, Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher, Hunter Hillenmeyer,
Charles Tillman, Chris Harris, Danieal Manning, Nathan Vasher, Brad Maynard.

#

Pos.

Name

School

Exp.

4

P

Brad Maynard

Ball State

10

8

QB

Rex Grossman

Florida

4

9

K

Robbie Gould

Penn State

2

12

WR

Justin Gage

Missouri

4

14

QB

Brian Griese

Michigan

9

16

WR

Mark Bradley

Oklahoma

2

17

WR

Airese Currie

Clemson

2

18

QB

Kyle Orton

Purdue

2

20

RB

Thomas Jones

Virginia

7

21

CB

Dante Wesley

Arkansas-PB

6

22

CB

Tyler Everett

Ohio State

R

23

CB/KR

Devin Hester

Miami

R

24

CB

Ricky Manning Jr.

UCLA

4

27

S

Nick Turnbull

Florida Int'l

R

29

RB

Adrian Peterson

Georgia S.

5

30

S

Mike Brown

Nebraska

7

31

CB

Nathan Vasher

Texas

3

32

RB

Cedric Benson

Texas

2

33

CB

Charles Tillman

Louis. Lafay.

4

35

S

Todd Johnson

Florida

4

36

S

Brandon McGowan

Maine

2

37

FB

Jason McKie

Temple

5

38

S

Danieal Manning

Abeilene Christian

R

44

S

Cameron Worrell

Boise State

4

45

LB

Dwayne Slay

Texas Tech

R

46

S

Chris Harris

LA-Monroe

2

47

FB

Bryan Johnson

Boise State

7

48

FB

J.D. Runnels

Oklahoma

R

52

LB

Jamar Williams

Arizona St.

R

53

LB

Leon Joe

Maryland

3

54

LB

Brian Urlacher

New Mexico

7

55

LB

Lance Briggs

Arizona

4

57

C

Olin Kreutz

Washington

9

58

LB

Darrell McClover

Miami

3

59

LB

Rod Wilson

S. Carolina

2

60

G

Terrence Metcalf

Miss

5

63

G-C

Roberto Garza

Texas A&M-K

6

64

G

Tyler Reed

Penn State

R

65

LS

Patrick Mannelly

Duke

9

68

OL

Anthony Oakley

W Kentucky

2

69

T

Fred Miller

Baylor

11

70

DT

Alfonso Boone

Mt. SA JC

6

71

DL

Israel Idonije

Manitoba

3

72

DE

Copeland Bryan

Arizona

R

74

G

Ruben Brown

Pitt

12

75

T

Mark LeVoir

Notre Dame

R

76

T

John Tait

BYU

8

78

T

John St. Clair

Virginia

7

80

WR

Bernard Berrian

Fresno St.

3

81

WR

Rashied Davis

San Jose St.

2

82

TE

Gabe Reid

BYU

4

83

WR

Mike Hass

Oregon St.

R

84

WR

Brandon Rideau

Kansas

2

85

TE

John Gilmore

Penn State

5

86

TE

Richard Angulo

W. New Mex

1

87

WR

Muhsin Muhammad

Michigan St.

11

88

TE

Desmond Clark

Wake Forest

8

90

DT

Antonio Garay

Boston College

3

91

DT

Tommie Harris

Oklahoma

3

92

LB

Hunter Hillenmeyer

Vanderbilt

4

93

DE

Adewale Ogunleye

Indiana

7

94

LB

Brendon Ayanbadejo

UCLA

4

95

DT

Ian Scott

Florida

4

96

DE

Alex Brown

Florida

5

97

DE

Mark Anderson

Alabama

R

98

DT

Dusty Dvoracek

Oklahoma

R

99

DT

Tank Johnson

Washington

3

What else? Rex Grossman

Don't you just HATE Rex Grossman? In 2006, he threw 20
interceptions, the most by a Bears quarterback since 1981. A very pedestrian
quarterback rating is 70, and Grossman had games this season of 36, 23, 10, 1
and ZERO.

Don't you just LOVE Rex Grossman? In 2006, Grossman
turned in the most yards, touchdowns and games started by a Bears quarterback
in 11 years. His 3,193 yards, 23 touchdowns and 16 games started put him in the
top three quarterbacks to ever play the position in 87 years of Bears football.

Confused? What a quandary.

This would be impossible to truly rate, but Rex Grossman's
2006 season had to be the strangest on record for any NFL quarterback in
history. Grossman entered the 2006 season on the heels of three seasons of
suffering a major injury. This for a player that never suffered a major injury
in his career at the high school and college levels.

2006 started with the Bears signing his first true competition
or viable backup, Brian Griese from Tampa Bay. Grossman's preseason performance
(60.7 rating) versus Griese's (141.7) led to early calls for the youngster's
head that were unheeded by his coach.

He began the regular season on an absolute tear, posting a 102
QB rating in the first five games with 10 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He
earned offensive player of the month honors and was looked upon as a sure-fire
Pro Bowler and league MVP.

Week 6 brought his first crash, finishing with a 10.2 rating
against the pushover Arizona Cardinals. He rebounded with a near-perfect 137.2
against San Francisco, then crashed again with a 36.8 in the team's first loss
against Miami.

The remainder of the season was up-and-down, with the regular
schedule concluding on a John Blutarsky-like zero-point-zero rating. Grossman's
play was borderline in the playoffs, but he threw two interceptions in the
Super Bowl, one returned for a decisive Indianapolis score.

The only direction to move with Grossman is forward,
obviously, but no questions are answered.

2007 will be the final year of the quarterback's rookie deal,
so should there be another flop there isn't a salary cap hit to take as there
was with Rick Mirer, Cade McNown or countless others. However, with a narrow
window to another Super Bowl just cracked open for another season, there is
much on the line.

After being burned by the Carolina offense in the 2005
playoffs, the Bears raided the Panther secondary in free agency. They
signed unrestricted free agent CB Dante Wesley, then gave up a third-round
draft pick to sign restricted free agent Ricky Manning Jr. Manning Jr. was
undersized to play a starter's role, but the Bears slid him in perfectly as
their nickel back. The very night Manning became a Bear, Manning was accused of
any ultimately plead no contest to assaulting a patron at Denny's.
Chicago GM Jerry Angelo was roundly criticized by fans and the media for
spending six of seven draft picks on defense when the Bear offense needed so
much help. Many wanted the Bears to take a tight end in round one, but journeyman
Desmond Clark ended up turning in his finest season with better stats
than any rookie drafted in a deep class. Indeed, Angelo's class was fantastic
as the two second-round picks were a starter and a Pro Bowler, and a
fifth-rounder finished second in rookie of the year balloting. In addition to
Manning and Wesley, the Bears also signed their first legitimate backup
quarterback in almost a decade in Brian Griese. Griese clearly outplayed
starter Rex Grossman in the preseason against backups, but Grossman got the nod
throughout the season. Rookie Devin Hester set an NFL record with six
touchdowns on returns, and added another in the Super Bowl, the first time an
opening kickoff was returned for a score. Most ironically, almost a year
to the day that Nathan Vasher set the NFL record for longest play with a
108-yard missed field goal return, Hester tied the record against the Giants on
the same type of play. Bear legal difficulties continued in December, when
defensive tackle Tank Johnson was arrested on weapons charges. Several days
later his best friend was shot and killed at a nightclub. Johnson's troubles, coupled
with season-ending injuries to Mike Brown and Tommie Harris,
significantly softened the Bear defense during the stretch run of the playoffs.

The day before the
2006 draft, the Houston Texans shocked the NFL by announcing they had come to
terms with defensive end Mario Williams as the first overall selection. This
was in a year when the electrifying Reggie Bush was available. Bush was
selected with the second pick by New Orleans, who didn't need a running back,
but deemed him to valuable to bypass. The Saints would be the next team to
shock the NFL when they turned their 3-13 2005 season to 10-6 and an NFC
Championship appearance in 2006. Almost every national prognosticator predicted
the Saints would win the championship in Chicago, but they were defeated, much
to the nation's dismay. Improbable AFC representatives in Super Bowl 41 were
the Indianapolis Colts, who were reeling in December and giving up rushing
yards by the stadium-full. The Colts rebounded to beat the Bears in Super Bowl
41 by a score of 29-17.

2006 Bears Draft

Rd

Pos

Name

School

2a

DB

Danieal Manning

Abilene Christian

2b

CB/KR

Devin Hester

Miami

3

DT

Dusty Dvoracek

Oklahoma

4

LB

Jamar Williams

Arizona State

5

DE

Mark Anderson

Alabama

6a

FB

J.D. Runnels

Oklahoma

6b

G

Tyler Reed

Penn State

2006 Bears Trades

Traded first-round pick to Buffalo for Bill's second and
third-round picks.